Process for degumming textile fibers



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PROCESS FOR DEGUMMING TEXTILE FIBERS.

No Drawing.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

Application filed August 3, 1914. Serial No. 854,862.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT 01' MARCH 3, 1921, 41 STAT. L, 1313.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB MEISTER, a citizen of the Swiss Confederation, residing at Basel, in Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Process for Degumming Textile Fibers, of which the following is a specification.

The floss-like silk industry employs principally methods of fermentation for the purpose of utilizing and improving the waste products which are obtained in large quantities in the silk industry. It has been proposed to avoid the numerous disadvantages connected with this method by using chemical and mechanical auxiliary means, but without success, as generally the expensive raw material loses the properties required for its further treatment.

It is known that'Soltau-British Patent 4803/95 has proposed to utilize advantageously the macerating effect of the pancreatin substances contained in the pancreas for improving the fermenting process. The practical application of this disintegrating method was however impeded by the difiiculty to obtain apure and at the same time cheap juice. This process for degumming is further not sufiicient, it requires besides much time and it is difficult to control.

The improved process according to this invention is odorless and free from objections from the hygienic point of view; it can be carried through in a much shorter time than the known processes and it permits of an easy supervision and of a very accurate working with comparatively simple appara tus. An over-fermentation and loss of dur ability of the fibers is impossible. The flossmaterial being glossy and soft to the touch can be sent to the reeling or to the carding without previous treatment. The improved method if modified correspondingly forms further, if applied to vegetable fibers, a valuable substitute for the retting process, whereby a preliminary bleaching is obtained which has hitherto never been obtainable, there being further much time saved.

The new process is based on the dissolving action exerted by the en'zymotic substances on the pectinates. It is however essential with this process that the fibrous material be previously treated with weak alkaline substances, particularly with borax,

whereby the gum is disintegrated. Besides the pancreatin all the enzymotic preparations can be used which are at present manufactured generally and frequently used in tanning, even such preparations which have been obtained by the aid of cultures of bacteria, ammonia and sodium-chlorid having of course to be added.

The process is at present not of great importance, for the degumming of spun-silk or thrown silk as the usual method is quite satisfactory and even indispensable for the dyeing for technical reasons, although it has already been proved for such silks that the new method of treatment permits of obtaining a better output as more silk is got from the cocoons than with the usual methods after the preliminary treatment and that with the new method exactly the degree of degumming can be attained which is best for the subsequent mechanical treatment of the material. The improved method will be advantageously used for such material as the deposit of lime soap on the fibers is avoided. There are to be considered principally doppi, struses, perforated cocoons, tussah and particularly wild silks.

The enzymotic substance preferably used is oropon, which is obtained by extraction from the pancreas'and composed of trypsin and steapsin, a compound of ferments for which there is not known any chemical formula.

The substance oropon is described in Uhemz'cczZAbtmcts (1913), page 3250. Bates which are like the oropon are further described in the U. S. Patent No. 1,003,124 to Rohn, issued Sept. 12, 1911, and in the British Patent 21202 of 1909. In order to accelerate the disintegrationg action of the enzymotic substances there is preferably used an addition of peroxid of hydrogen.

According to the quality of thefloss material the treatment requires only 4 to 7 hours.

' Example :3' kilograms of cocoons are soaked during one hour in a bath of a solution heated to a temperature of 60 to and composed of 60 grams of carbonate of sodium, 60 c/cm. ammonia (technical), 30 grams of bora t, and 60 to 100 liters of water, whereupon the liquid is drawn off andwithout rinsing-there are added 60 to 100 for example as oropon, 120

liters of water, 120 grams of an enzymotic substance, such grams of sodium chlorid, 6O c/cm. ammon1a,. and 10 grams of borax.

After the material ing 5 hours in the well known apparatus and at a temperature of 40 to 50, the material is rinsed in the well known manner and dried.

Pro ortion of gum, 8% of theweight of .the si k. I

"1. Process for degumming textile fibers through the action of enzymotic substances which comprises preliminarily treating the fibrous material in a containing borax and ammonia; and then treating said material in a second bath at a moderate temperature with an ammoniacal enzymotic solution which contains boraz;-

in which have been dissolved has been treated dur diluted alkaline bath gamers and sodium chlorid', the material finally rinsed. c

2. Process for degumming textile fibers through the action of enzymotio substances which comprises preliminarly treating the fibrous material in a diluted alkaline bath containing borax and ammonia, and then treating said material in a second bath at a moderate temperature with a solution of enzymotic preparatlons known as oropon obtained with the a1d of cultures of bacteria,

said preparations being used together with peroxid of hydrogen, said solution containw ing borax and sodium chlorid, the material 35 being finally rinsed.

'I'n-witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presenceof two witnesses.

v JACOB MEISTER.

Witnesses: I a

Hnmmorl HUBER, WILBIEIM BIENY. 

